The Aporia
The Aporia
Yemen's Houthi rebels, backed by Iran, have seized Greater and Lesser Hanish islands in the southern Red Sea, strengthening their control over critical shipping routes. This move follows previous captures of the port city of Mokha and Perim Island, displacing more than 80,000 people since September 2023. The capture of these strategic locations increases pressure on global oil supplies, as they lie near the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, a vital passage connecting the Red Sea to the Indian Ocean. Additionally, Saudi Arabia's East-West pipeline, crucial for moving oil from the Persian Gulf to export hubs like Yanbu, was forced to close after an attack by Iranian-backed Iraqi militias. These developments coincide with heightened tensions over Iran’s ongoing conflict and its impact on maritime traffic through the Strait of Hormuz.
He has transformed the Houthi group from tribal insurgency to a fighting force, threatening Riyadh and controlling the vital waterway
The offensive, which has been accompanied by attacks on Saudi Arabia, has put the Houthis in a strong position to call the shots in the Bab el-Mandeb strait by potentially halting global trade in one of the world’s most important conduits for goods and commodities, including oil.
Al-Houthi has transformed his men, fierce mountain fighters often in sandals and hooked on the green leaf stimulant khat, into a force of tens of thousands who withstood years of air strikes by a Saudi-led coalition in Yemen’s civil war
